Local organization lends support to families involved in Midland tragedy

As families and friends in Midland cope with their recent losses, a special group in Lubbock is lending support.

Project Linus is a national organization with the sole purpose of making blankets for children who have suffered trauma, and the organization's Lubbock chapter is coming together to provide blankets for the children and grandchildren of the veterans who were killed.

"The warmth and comfort of the blanket, of course, is a physical comforting," Chapter Coordinator Lisa Allen said. "Then, there is that realization that someone, somewhere, made that blanket especially for them."

Allen said it doesn't just affect the children.

"The response I get from my volunteers is that it's a way for them to share the love to these kids when they can't actually be there to give them a hug," Allen said. "They know that their talent can be used to help comfort them, and just knowing that is enough to keep them going."

She said she hopes this gesture shows what a difference it can make when community reaches out.

"I hope that it helps them deal with everything that they have to deal with, knowing that there are people who are thinking of them, and caring for them, and want to actually help if they can," Allen said. "And, for the Project Linus volunteers, providing blankets is what we do, and Midland is part of our community as far as the communities that we serve."

Allen said the blankets are ready to go. They are just waiting on a final count, plus the ages and genders of the children, before they deliver them.